The present invention relates in general to a conveyor belt type system for feeding material into a surge or blending bin enabling one to fill the bin to a reasonably constant elevation in both the transverse or longitudinal directions to a specified height, and more particularly to a conveyor infeed system for surge or blending bins having a belt conveyor without sides located longitudinally along the bin center line and a movable blade to plow the material off of both sides of the belt to promote reasonably even distribution across the section of the bin.
Storage of material in a surge or blending bin in order to be efficient should fill the bin to as constant an elevation as possible in both the transverse and longitudinal directions and to a specified height. This insures the maximum volume may be stored in the bin. Additionally, the material should be introduced into the bin in a gentle manner to reduce breakage. Since the amount of material in the bin at any one time changes, the point of introduction of new material must be able to change position easily and automatically.
Multiple installations make low initial cost and low maintenance costs very important. Particularly in the food industry a simple and open design is preferred to facilitate cleaning and reduce accumulations of material and dust.
A wide variety of feeding methods are now being used. Some examples are oscillating vibratory and belt conveyors which swing from side to side and must be positioned by sensing the stored material so as to move longitudinally. Other methods use two reciprocating belt conveyors, usually a full width longitudinal belt and a narrow transverse belt to load the longitudinal belt. Some position a screw auger above the bin and auger the material lengthwise using the stored material as a screw conveyor trough moving the new material to be stored from the discharge end back.
Another infeed method is to use a belt conveyor mounted longitudinally along the side of the bin and so configured that the upper surface passes around movable rollers so that it may discharge onto another conveyor which also moves with the stored material face and is positioned transverse to the bin. This second conveyor is usually a vibrating pan with a bias discharge, or could be a reciprocating belt conveyor.
Another type uses a belt conveyor without sides mounted longitudinally along the side of the bin. A blade mounted above the belt at an angle moves in response to the location of the stored material to plow the incoming material off of the belt into a vibrating conveyor mounted transverse to the bin and having a bias opening in its trough as above and moving on rails with the plow.
In all but one of these methods a heavy transverse or oscillating conveyor must move with the rear face of the stored material which requires heavy tracks, a driving motor or motors which must be supplied power by a festoon or other movable power supply systems. In addition, bias slots are difficult to adjust properly for even distribution when the product is introduced by a belt from right angles and close coupled.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a light weight belt conveyor without sides, for a surge or blending bin or the like, wherein the belt conveyor is located longitudinally along the bin center line and extends slightly beyond the bin at both ends, for feeding particulate material to the bin to a reasonably constant elevation in both the transverse and longitudinal directions, and including a movable blade which plows the material off of both sides of the belt onto diverters or slides for evenly distributing the material across the section of the bin.
Another object of the present invention is a provision of a bin infeed system as described in the immediately preceding paragraph, which distributes the incoming material gently so as to reduce breakage and utilizes only one fixed conveyor rather than one or more movable conveyors, and does not require a portable electric supply system.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a bin infeeding system as described in the two immediately preceding paragraphs, wherein the infeed material is transferred to a moving belt only once and therefore is subject to less breakage, and wherein the bin infeed system has no vibrating parts to transmit vibrations to the bin or building structure and does not require heavy rails for the support of the apparatus for diverting the material from the conveyor belt surface into the bin.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taking in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.